Incidence of Lower Extremity Injuries in 14- to 18-Year-Old Female Lacrosse Players from Long Island

Abstract

Women's lacrosse is a relatively young sport in the United States. The goal of this study was to determine which lower extremity injuries are prevalent in the game of lacrosse so that better training programs and protective equipment can be applied. Women's lacrosse is nearly an entirely different game than men's lacrosse and is expected to have unique injury patterns that have yet to be investigated. The authors polled 200 female lacrosse players of the Long Island Elite Lacrosse Club. Of those, 76 returned the survey with proper consent. Of the 76, only 14 reported never having an injury. A majority of the athletes that reported one or more injuries either self-treated or solely saw the team trainer without a doctor follow-up. While there are limitations to the study, it is clear community outreach is needed to guide players to seek treatment when injured.